Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[W2NAP]

more upside down pics.

nixie tubes yo 

[Cubdriver]

Very true. It's not THAT hard to do. The stuff I sell on eBay is generally small plastic models, so far never have had any broken in transit, both selling and buying. Bought plenty of LCD monitors via online and never had one damaged, but then those are new and in the OEM packing. My Signlent scope was the same way. My 3610 power supply came VERY well packed, but I bought that on eBay from a test equipment reseller so they should certainly know how to package test gear since that's mostly all they sell. It's most definitely not rocket science, but sometimes you have to wonder.

No excuse for that!  Idiots!!  I've gotten a few things from sellers who should know better that were packaged poorly.  The worst was the Electro Instruments DVM that had cardboard hot glued around it into a box, and really had NO padding!    That one was from a private seller rather than an instrument dealer, but still...

The carrier tossing the package over the fence isn't the worst I've seen - friend of mine once came home to find a package IMPALED on their wrought iron fence - the nutcase driver attempted to throw it over the fence but didn't put enough oomph into it and it wound up on top of the fence.

    I'd have wanted to impale the driver for doing something like that!   

The UPS guy at my old how was particularly bad at the whole getting a signature thing. I was working from home a lot in those days and I would hear the doorbell, run down the steps, and by the time I opened the front door the truck was halfway down the road.

I've been very fortunate in that regard - all the carriers at my previous job and the current one, both when we had an office and now that I'm working out of the house have all been excellent in that regard.  (It probably doesn't hurt that I try to run out and meet them when I hear the truck pull up, and either save them the walk with smaller stuff or help them carry the boat anchors to the door.)

Me, I pack stuff ASSUMING the package will be used as a rugby ball (or practice NFL field goals).

I don't go /quite/ that far with the big heavy stuff as the boxes would be too huge and I figure once it's over 50-60 lbs they're not going to be able to kick field goals without doing more damage to their foot than to the instrument, but still like to shoot for at least 2" of foam board between it and the box wall, and would prefer 3" or more.  The 5440B that I just shipped home had me a bit nervous because it only had 1" along the sidewalls.  The damned thing is so long (25") that I had to modify the 24 x 24 x 24" box by cutting extra slots to let me rack the sides and make it longer and skinnier. and while that gave me my requisite 2" at the ends, it left only 1" of space on the sides.  The good thing was that shortening it height-wise increased the overlap of the flaps, so for all intents and purposes it had 3-1/2 layers of double wall cardboard at the top and bottom making for a nice rigid enclosure.

Shipping - the bane of BATGAS (Boat Anchor Test Gear Acquisition Syndrome)

-Pat

[bitseeker]

Something I have noticed on more than one occasion .... is the following two threads at the top of this sub-board:




So the question is .... Is there a causal relationship here - or is it just a coincidence?

Well, let's look at the data. So far, 3.3% of views result in a TEA post as compared with 0.8% of views that result in a purchase post. So, it appears that TEA members are being influenced by the goodies seen in the other thread and then posting here to recover from the relapse.

[bitseeker]

Glossary updated.

[xrunner]

Glossary updated.

I just looked at the newest additions - LATTE? Hahaha that list is great! 

[mmagin]

This HP 59501B is especially clean:

[xrunner]

This HP 59501B is especially clean:

Love that gold!

[JenniferG]

I must have the sickness

Got my Fluke 8050A today.  Put in an offer on an Instek 8251a and a bid on a 3478a, lol.

[Cubdriver]

I must have the sickness

Got my Fluke 8050A today.  Put in an offer on an Instek 8251a and a bid on a 3478a, lol.

Resistance is futile voltage/current.  You will be assimilated!    

(Actually, I think you already have been assimilated!)

-Pat

[BFX]

Total fail from my side   
Therapy doesn't work
 

Again new test gears

First I found those HF modules and won the auction for super price:) And since I haven't PXI mainframe after little searching I found this one containing additional 7 modules and again won for a cheap  

[Cubdriver]

Nice Datron!   

-Pat

[BFX]

Nice Datron!   

-Pat

Thank you
Little recap and calibration is necessary but I'm happy for now

[med6753]

You know it's hopeless when your desktop wallpaper is this.......

[BFX]

You know it's hopeless when your desktop wallpaper is this.......

You are lost

[capt bullshot]

You know it's hopeless when your desktop wallpaper is this.......

You are lost

(innocently asking) why?
On one of my machines there's this wallpaper:

[BFX]

You know it's hopeless when your desktop wallpaper is this.......

You are lost

(innocently asking) why?
On one of my machines there's this wallpaper:

Because in your case is not enough to have, but you need to see it every time on your pc desktop

[bitseeker]

Total fail from my side   
Therapy doesn't work
 

Again new test gears

First I found those HF modules and won the auction for super price:) And since I haven't PXI mainframe after little searching I found this one containing additional 7 modules and again won for a cheap

Nice Datron! That display looks to be in great condition.

[mmagin]

Well, I got a HP 432A+478A in pretty good condition and calibrated less than 2 years ago.  Only problem is that the cable has some damage around one strain relief and the power switch is a little flaky.

Good to have something to check the reference in my 437B against, right? 
(It checks out)

[wn1fju]

65 DVM, VOM, AC Voltmeters, Ammeters, 28 Signal Generators/Synthesizers, 33 Function/Pulse Generators, 10 Logic Analyzers,
13 Oscilloscopes, 23 Receivers/Spectrum Analyzers/Network Analyzers, 14 Power Supplies, 22 Counters, 30 Component Testers.
19 Modulation/Audio/Transmission Analyzers, 13 Calibrators, 5 Tape Recorders and Associated Testers, 25 Tek 7000-Series Plug-Ins,
25 Uncategorized, 2 Time Domain Reflectometers, ...

6,395 front panel knobs, buttons, switches, 2,038 front panel LEDs, 756 BNC jacks, 873 digits of numerical LED/LCD display,
409 binding posts & banana plugs/jacks, 219 incandescent & neon light bulbs, 76 analog meters, 29 CRTs, ...

Do I qualify?  (http://emperoroftestequipment.weebly.com).

[GreyWoolfe]

Even this thread/group can't help you

[Berni]

65 DVM, VOM, AC Voltmeters, Ammeters, 28 Signal Generators/Synthesizers, 33 Function/Pulse Generators, 10 Logic Analyzers,
13 Oscilloscopes, 23 Receivers/Spectrum Analyzers/Network Analyzers, 14 Power Supplies, 22 Counters, 30 Component Testers.
19 Modulation/Audio/Transmission Analyzers, 13 Calibrators, 5 Tape Recorders and Associated Testers, 25 Tek 7000-Series Plug-Ins,
25 Uncategorized, 2 Time Domain Reflectometers, ...

6,395 front panel knobs, buttons, switches, 2,038 front panel LEDs, 756 BNC jacks, 873 digits of numerical LED/LCD display,
409 binding posts & banana plugs/jacks, 219 incandescent & neon light bulbs, 76 analog meters, 29 CRTs, ...

Do I qualify?  (http://emperoroftestequipment.weebly.com).

Where do you even keep all that stuff?

All of that probably wouldn't even fit in my lab even if it was nothing but storage shelves.

[Carl_Smith]

My SAD - Shipping Anxiety Disorder, is turning into SAD - Shipping Anger Disorder.   I ordered my GW Instek GDM-8251A meter five days ago and I have not yet received any notification from eBay that the item has shipped.  I sent a message to the seller asking what's up and have not received a reply.   eBay has an estimated delivery day of today, but I'm not sure how they come up with that when the seller hasn't marked the item as shipped or uploaded a tracking number.  Guess we'll see when the mail comes in an hour or two...

UPDATE: Mail carrier came, mail carrier went, no meter.  Didn't really expect it but I was hoping that it had been sent and the seller just hadn't got to uploading a tracking number.  Guess not.

[Housedad]

I've been waiting on a backorder for a DMM since Jan 17th.   It finally shipped Yesterday, March 3rd.   I feel your pain.   

[bitseeker]

Similarly, a hard drive I ordered ended up backordered. Five weeks later, it finally shipped.

I remember back when we had to wait for a printed catalog, mail in an order form and... None of this online shopping, free next day delivery rubbish!

[bitseeker]

Do I qualify?  (http://emperoroftestequipment.weebly.com).

Me thinks you may be overqualified. Yes, the TEA meter has officially gone "O.L".

Cool museum page! I shall enjoy reading about your collection. Thanks and welcome.